Mother and Daughter
by Ilmare1
Summary: Story about Celebrian's childhood and her relationship with her parents, esp her mother. cowritten with woman of dunedain. Please read and review or else I wont continue.
1. chapter 1

Chapter 1: Birth  
  
Celeborn was walking to and fro in anxiousness. Many hours had passed since his wife had been struggling in her birth labor aided by a midwife and several healers. His elven ears could hear his wife's heavy breath and moaning as the pain of giving birth racked her body. Never had he seen Galadriel fell ill or injured, but now she was in struggle between Life and Death. Celeborn was frustrated, feeling so helpless. He felt the urge to scream and dash into the room. He wanted to be there with her, holding her hands, taking away her pain, comforting her, giving her his strength. But he could not. The midwife had strictly ordered him to stay out for fear that his sight of his wife's suffering would lessen his love for his child in future, something that was not uncommonly found.  
  
Finally a baby's cry was heard. An unmelodic cry, but so wonderful in his ears. 'My child is born.' His elven ears caught the slowing of Galadriel's heartbeats as she eased from her toil and sank into the land of dreams. Later on the midwife came out of the room, looking half relieved, half distressed. Celeborn's heart speeded in worry as his mind suddenly clouded by the thought of Miriel's fate*, and he could feel chill running down his spine in fear.  
  
"How is she?" he asked and his voice filled with fear.  
  
The midwife gave a weak smile ere said, "Congratulations, my Lord. Your daughter is born. She is healthy and very beautiful, and so alike her mother."  
  
"And Galadriel? How is she?" he could not show more anxiousness in his face. His daughter was healthy, but what about his wife?  
  
"She would be fine. Though the hard labor she just went through can end her life, but your wife is strong. But…" she looked down, didn't dare to meet my eyes, adding mounting fear to my heart.  
  
"But what? Please tell me."  
  
She sighed and looked up, "She is strong and will recover, but her womb will not. I am afraid that she will never able to conceive again, my Lord."  
  
Celeborn felt his heart sank. He leaned on a wall as his knees suddenly weakened. Galadriel had always dreamed of children; she wanted three or four, even more. She wanted a family alike her own. But now? All her dream was shattered. Celeborn felt warm tears started to wet his face as he wept for his wife.  
  
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*Miriel, Feanor's mother grew very weary after giving birth to Feanor and passed away. This story isn't beta read. Anyone wants to?  
  
Reviews please! 


	2. chapter 2

Chapter 2: Celebrian  
  
Celeborn softly pushed the heavy door of their chamber and stepped in  
  
slowly. Arena, one of the healers, was holding his child while humming a soft lullaby. Celeborn approached them, eager to see his new offspring. Seeing her, his eyes lit with happiness. His daughter was truly beautiful, just as the midwife had said. Her eyes were the same blue of Galadriel's, but her hair was silver like his. Her Elven glow was stronger and more radiating than any babe Celeborn ever caught sight of, with the exception, perhaps, of Luthien.  
  
"Celebrian," he whispered half-consciously, while rubbing the soft skin of her arm. He was suddenly aware that he had named her unintentionally. Well, he thought, I could ask Galadriel's opinion later on.  
  
The Elf Lord turned to the sleeping form of his wife, lying helplessly on their bed. Celeborn could felt his heart sink at the vision of his wife. Galadriel's skin was bluish pale and her previous energetic mimic was replaced by exhaustion after her Life and Death struggle. Her eyes closed. One would have to look carefully at the slight movement of her breast to know that she was still alive.  
  
Galadriel's eyelids fluttered as he approached, and whispered through her overtiredness, "Celeborn."  
  
"Yes, my love," Celeborn quickly kneeled beside her and holding her hand.  
  
"Where is our daughter? I want to see her." Celeborn rose and turned to  
  
Arena, who gently handed his daughter to him. Celeborn tenderly carried her while feeling the warmth of his sleeping child in his arms. He had fallen in love with her at once, deeper than he could ever imagine. He rocked her gently ere giving her to Galadriel, who looked at her most lovingly.  
  
Galadriel smiled while rocking her gently in her arms. Several moments  
  
passed in silence before she said, "Our daughter is so lovely, isn't she?"  
  
"Yes," Celeborn agreed. "Almost as beautiful as her mother."  
  
"More beautiful than her father." She teased, exhausted but joyful. Their daughter slept peacefully in her mother's arms.  
  
Celeborn returned her smile. "Rest now, you are tired. Arena will take care of her."  
  
Galadriel nodded and handed their child to him, nuzzling her cheek on last time, obviously reluctant to give up the tiny wonder. Celeborn gave her to Arena and walked to the door when suddenly Galadriel spoke up, "Giving birth is not as bad as I thought. I think I can manage to give her some brothers and sisters."  
  
Celeborn turned away quickly to hid his tears. The bad news would wait until Galadriel was strong enough.  
  
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Want me to continue?  
  
Thanks for woman of dunedain for making this fic so lovely to read. 


	3. chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Sweet Baby**

Celebrian grew up healthily, never lacked of care or attention from her parents. Both Galadriel and Celeborn showered her with every love they could give. Much of the time, they must restrained themselves from spoiling her, especially Celeborn who was more soft hearted than his wife. But for now, they needed not to worry about the matter. She was only few weeks old now, a babe. 

Celeborn found his wife nursing their beloved daughter one beautiful evening. He smiled and placed his hand around her shoulder. Galadriel continued to rock the baby gently, whilst singing a lullaby. 

_The moon is your lady; she sings you to sleep; the stars are the dew on her hair; _

_Hushaby lullaby, lady of air. _

_The stars are your handmaids; they give you their love and the delicate charm of their light; _

_Hushaby lullaby, lady of night. _

_So rest you and sleep you in the warmth of their care; _

_Hushaby lullaby, lady of air.* _

"Ow!" she suddenly winced and pulled Celebrian away from her breast. 

"What's wrong?" Celeborn looked bewildered. 

"She bites me." Galadriel smiled. "This little queen has grown some teeth, it seems." She placed the babe back to her breast and continued her singing. 

Celeborn returned her smile and sat beside them, watching the heart-touching interaction between a newborn babe and her mother. Galadriel had changed along the birth of their child, her beauty altered from her blinding splendor of a proud Elven maiden to a gentle enchanting aura. She became wiser and calmer. The nature of a mother. Celeborn could feel him falling in love deeper to her, and to his child. 

"You are watching us," his wife said, without looking away from their little queen. "It will take long time ere she is satisfied, though." 

"I will watch and wait, for this is the most beautiful sight I ever seen my whole life. My beloved nurturing my sweet child," he answered. 

"The Valar have been kind to us. I wonder if they will entrust us more." 

Celeborn looked away, trying to his a single teardrop falling from his eyes. He knew where this conversation would head. "Galadriel…" 

"Yes, my husband?" the Elven Queen turned and met Celeborn's eyes, which were now blurred by tears. "Why do you cry?" she asked in confusion and worry. 

The Elf Lord circled his arm around her shoulder to comfort his wife and said, "Galadriel, be strong. Your body doesn't have strength to bear more child." 

The Lady of Light closed her eyes, letting a teardrop fell. Celebrian cried out as the tear touched her temple. Celeborn rose and took the child from Galadriel, rocking her gently. 

"Don't cry, my silver queen. Daddy's here," Celeborn sang. Celebrian soon calmed and slept again in the warmth of her father's arm. 

Galadriel smiled faintly at the heart-touching view. She rose and placed her hand in Celeborn's arm, leading him to their room. But she let him rocked their baby who was sleeping peacefully. Her sadness had not yet subsided, but it would. After all, Eru had granted her a perfect family, a loving husband and a perfect little daughter. 

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* this poem is by Dylan Thomas. 


End file.
